Cape Town - Eight foreign nationals and a South African home affairs department official from the Atlantis office north of Cape Town have been arrested in connection with alleged corruption related to passports, Western Cape police said on Sunday.

Information was received of possible corruption and fraud at the Atlantis home affairs offices, planned for Saturday, where fraudulent passports were going to be issued to foreigners, Captain FC van Wyk said.

An intelligence-driven undercover operation was executed on Saturday by members of the provincial commercial crime investigation unit and crime intelligence.

"Eight foreign nationals, aged between 24 and 36, and a 45-year-old Home Affairs department official from Nyanga [in Cape Town] were arrested at the department’s office in Atlantis on charges of forgery, fraud, and corruption. Cash to the value of R10 400, various Home Affairs documents including identity books, and 16 cellular telephones were seized."

All the arrested suspects were due to appear in the Atlantis Magistrate's Court on Monday on charges of forgery, fraud, and corruption, Van Wyk said.